If there is any thing that separates wealthy and poor nations around the world, it is the presence of effective sanitation. Many countries around the world, and perhaps most people in the world, use “in-place” sanitation, a term that simply means defecating or urinating in the street. India, China, Pakistan and a number of other major countries lack effective sanitation systems for a substantial portion of their population.

In the Americas, chronically poverty-stricken Haiti has little sanitation infrastructure, with only 17% of the population having access to improved sanitation. Improved sanitation can mean a number of things, from modern flush toilets to simple pit latrines and composting toilets.

SOIL (Sustainable Organic Integrated Livelihoods) is a non-profit with a simple mission: promote dignity, health, and sustainable livelihoods through the transformation of wastes into resources for the people of Haiti. To be explicit, they build composting toilets in partnership with local communities in Haiti, and use the compost to enrich the soil and thereby improve the financial welfare of Haitian families.

For a few years, I’ve been a Cultivator for SOIL, meaning a regular donor. Personally, I prefer the term “worm”, a mostly underground seldom-scene creature that makes amazing things happen through a thousand small actions. Yep, that works for me.

SOIL is one of those charities that work hard on one, straightforward, solvable problem. They are trying to change a small corner of the world, but their example is encouragement to others to look for solvable problems that in aggregate will change the world. It is an organization worth supporting, and I encourage you to learn more, and support them through a one-time or monthly donation.

Sasha Kramer is one of the co-founder’s of SOIL, and she can explain their mission, her mission, better than I can, as she did on the TED stage.

2 Responses to SOIL: Of Poop and Poverty

Speaking of poop… I saw a sign whilst riding the train requesting that people join the company to sell their poop to them to save lives. Yup you read that correctly. Seems that stool donations can save lives for those affected with C. Diff. infections. Who knew!